1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a weatherstrip for automobiles and, more particularly, to a weatherstrip which is mounted on a center pillar of automobiles.
2. Description of Related Art
Weatherstrips upon which the rear and front end edge of front and rear door glasses 2A and 2B are pressed are generally mounted on a center pillar 1 of a sashless door automobile as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 4 shows a conventional weatherstrip 3C of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,580. The weatherstrip 3C comprises hollow sealing portions 4A and 4B including a mounting base 31 and front and rear sealing walls 32a and 32b, respectively. Spaces 40a and 40b are defined by the mounting base 31 and the sealing walls 32a and 32b.
Although both sealing walls 32a and 32b are thin and are generally made of sponge rubber, the weatherstrip 3C is stable in shape. However, since the weatherstrip 3C provides only a low counter force against the pressing force which is exerted by the door glasses 2A and 2B moving in directions E1 and E2, it may exhibit poor sealing properties.
In order to overcome the above mentioned problems, a weatherstrip 3D having bridges 33a and 33b, which radially connect the mounting base 31 with the sealing walls 32a and 33b, formed in the hollow sealing portions 4A and 4B, respectively has been proposed in Japanese Utility Model Publication Jikkai-Sho 60-45272. U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,879 discloses a similar weatherstrip. An example of this conventional weatherstrip is shown in FIG. 5. If such bridges 33a and 33b are formed, the sealing properties would be improved while a higher force would be required for closing the door since the bridges 33a and 33b bias against the door glasses 2A and 2B moving in directions E1 and E2.
The weatherstrip 3D has a further problem in that the sealing wall 32b is moved together with the bridge 33b in an outer direction from the body if the rear door glass 2B, which is offset from a proper position due to variations of mounting position caused on assembly of the automobile, presses the sealing wall 32b at the position which is inwardly offset from the connection between the sealing wall 32b and the bridge 33b.
Weatherstrip 3D also exhibits a problem in that flow lines are formed on the outer surface of the connections between the sealing walls 32a, 32b and the bridges 33a, 33b, resulting in a poor appearance.